Numb : BETA
by CanalaveCoast
Summary: Just another day; just another visit. Or is it? /originalshipping;  BETA


Disclaimer: Standard Applies.  
Rating: K+  
Words: 2,048  
Time: On and off, fifteen minutes at a time - two weeks.

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**Numb**  
**_Red x.x.x Green  
_**Story by: Kaori Kuni; Writing by: CanalaveCoast

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The name Red might symbolize champion to the world but behind that great front there was a little boy from Pallet Town who was still insufferably, miserably and unfortunately - human. He still had flaws, weaknesses, temptations and, wretchedly enough, hormones that - all in combination - ruled his world. Mistakes, failings and wishes haunted him in their own right until the point where it would seem as if the boy couldn't handle it anymore. But Red was special. He could handle the weight of the world without a single utterance or complaint. He had his emotions but kept them hidden; tucked away in a tiny box in the back of his mind with a dark, brooding padlock that threatened to bite anyone who neared it with vain attempts to make him feel anything - Red was hidden. Safe.

What could make a boy once so bright change into this dark, emotionless being though? One who would flee to the top of an arctic, desolate mountain, forlorn and separate from all familiar, jovial normality that he was once a part of? Why would he bring upon himself willingly a state of utter self-isolation from all that was recognizable?

At the top of Mt. Silver sat this very confusing trainer. A raven haired boy with fair skin and bright, blood red eyes that stared eerily into space when pensive. Most of the time he was alone; thinking, contemplating, occasionally battling the brave soul who embarked on a dangerous trek up the mountain to see him - but more often than not, the trainer was lost in his own self, abandoned at the top of the mountain. On the rare occasion that there was no challenger but the boy was not alone brought about moments treasured deeply within the minds of two separate beings.

The special visitor responsible for these moments was also a boy; one with magnificently green eyes and a beautiful smile bright enough to melt all the snow on the ice capped mountain; this boy, with his brown, spiky hair, was named Green.

Upon every visit, Green was sure to bring treats, supplies and occasionally a letter or two for the champion, his once dearest friend, and was always, always positive to bring a scarf. Green could never understand why Red always managed to lose the scarves that were brought to him but he had never cared enough to do more than speculate on the mystery. There were other mysteries surrounding his friend at hand which proved to be of more interest to the spiky haired boy such as the reasons behind Red's sudden departure from everything familiar so the thought of lost scarves rarely crossed Green's mind.

He would always remember the day the news had first reached his ears. Green had been in the middle of some Gym-related paperwork when a challenger had run up to him exclaiming that one day, after beating Green, he would be strong enough to scale Mt. Silver and find the champion at the top then beat him and be the best trainer in the world. Obviously Green's first thoughts upon hearing about the champion had been about Red, and as the information about his ex-rival's whereabouts reached his ears, the brunette had been filled with a foreboding sense of uneasy trepidation. He was then quick to rush his way up the mountain furiously with the full intention of knocking sense into the idiot champion's head but he was greeted with only silence and eventual failure. To this very day Green can always recall the blank expression on Red's face as he rebuked the trainer and then the swift, silent movement of response that was Red's cap being pulled down in a dismissive retort.

How Green hated that cap. He hated the way Red covered his vibrant red eyes with it leaving Green only his own speculations on what could possibly be running through the champion's mind. More often than not Green was wrong and that only caused further frustration in the failed attempt to keep an ongoing dialogue between the two. Somehow, Green had always seen Red's eyes to be a proven symbol that the boy was still alive even if they would no longer show any emotion. To have that taken away by the very person he was trying to reach frustrated and perturbed Green to no end filling the boy with feelings of disgust and betrayal.

It had been awhile now since Green had gone on board upon a journey up the mountain to check upon the champion; the boy's apathetic attitude had really begun to wear thin on Green's nerves pushing him to no longer feel that obnoxious, confusing tug on his heartstrings that had originally imposed upon the gym-leader the stress of such drastic separation between them. Bothersome as it was, Green would never admit it to himself but he did actually miss Red's former witty, talkative, vivacious self no matter how irksome it had been in the past. It was better than he had become.

Even through Green was greatly troubled and irritated by his friend's new way of life and attitude, he'd not abandon Red completely; for this reason Green now found himself back at the foot of Mt. Silver embarking once more on the fool's errand of climbing the dangerous crag in an attempt to visit his lethargic champion yet again. Scarf in hand and nearly frozen poke balls strapped tightly to his belt, Green soon emerged from the depths of the snowstorm raging outside and entered Red's cave to find the boy leaning quietly against the wall with an air of indifference towards his new guest. The cave had almost no illumination as the snow continued to swirl outside and the clouds above blocked all forms of sunlight from entering the small yet spacious grotto. In the center and slightly to the right, nearest the wall Red was backed up against, a tiny fire managed to stay alive as it's flames flickered dangerously quickly with the ominous threat to blow out any moment. It was only due to the faint, flickering light from this tiniest of heat sources that Green was able to discern a bloody stain on Red's left leg. The two hadn't so much as exchanged glances in greeting before Green's eyes widened and he hurried over to inspect the depth of the wound. Furious inquires as to what had happened spewed from Green's lips as the boy anxiously attempted to understand if his friend was alright whilst endeavoring to force an answer from the silent champion.

"It's fine," was the only reply Red gave. A bare whisper accompanied the words in so quiet a tone that Green wouldn't have caught it if the wind had not carried it in his direction. This response only proceeded to edge on the anger that had been ebbing away at Green's mind and the boy couldn't help but growl a short expletive cursing his friend. Continuing on to wrap the scarf he'd brought around Red's leg wound, Green managed to effectively cause the bleeding to cease and his mind once again cried out in angry protest as to why Red himself hadn't taken any steps in healing his own injuries. Who knows what might have happened had Green not shown up today. Who knows, he might have even found a corpse next week had he decided to postpone checking up on Red another few days. At least the wound wasn't life-threatening so long as the blood flow was stopped and Green finally came to terms with the fact that his surprise at seeing the blood in the first place had really caused him to blow the whole fiasco out of proportion. The wound was small compared to what he had originally imagined and Red was going to be fine even without the immediate medical treatment Green wanted to impose upon him that very second. Coming to this conclusion cleared Green's mind allowing for his fury, both aimed at himself and Red, to burst forth.

"What the devil where you thinking coming to this damned, Arceus-forsaken mountain? It's been four freaking, hell-ridden years and now you've finally injured yourself. What more is it going to take for you to see the stupidity in living here? Whatever the frick you think you've found up here can just as easily be found down there in my world - your world - too. So now, answer me this Red. Why did you come to this frozen-ass hell, leaving everything, everyone, behind?"

By this point Green's hands were clutching tightly to Red's jacket, his knuckles white and undoubtedly leaving bruises in the champion's shoulders from the digging fingers that clutched so tightly. Looking straight into the immeasurable depths of the two crimson pools that were Red's eyes, Green waited but received no reply. The drastic change in personality had often left Green with the feeling that Red spoke less and less each time they met and now, the silence that greeted him only pushed Green's anger to a near boiling point. That point was soon reached as, with a quick swift movement, Red pulled his cap down to cover his eyes and shield himself from Green's rage. Heated to the last degree, Green snarled and snatched Red's cap away hurling it back with such force that it flew precisely in the direction of the small, still flickering fire in the middle of the cave.

Whatever emotion Green had expected to see then - anger, alarm, fear that the cap might actually catch fire - paled in comparison to the reality that was presented. Beautiful ruby tinged orbs floating in a heinous flood of tears greeted Green's gaze as the speechless boy stared at the champion. Wide-eyed, Red stared at Green and the two stood - thunderstruck, perplexed, and lost - as seconds, minutes and soon what seemed like hours passed between them. Eventually Red's shoulders began to shake slightly and the boy turned his ashamed, reddened face to the ground. His mouth opened and he hesitated but after lowering his gaze further, an answering whisper left his lips that Green would never forget.

"Being without you hurts less," _up here. _It went along without being said.

Another long, pregnant pause ensued before Green found his own eyes mirroring those of the champion's as tears filled his own luminous green orbs. The embarrassment at having tears rush forth aggravated Green and the boy gripped tightly to Red's shoulders again irritating the bruises already forming there. The same thoughts ran through his mind repeatedly as if to reiterate the same piercing thought. Red was in tears because of him. Red was upset because of him. He had made Red cry. All this time he had been the one at fault.

Anger rose inside of Green's tense, shocked system again. He shook with the force of such anger and released Red in order to turn away and hide his own face from that of the raven haired boy before him. Ironically enough, Green's gaze laded on the discarded cap lying inches from the perimeter of the fire and he could only stare as the tears flowed furiously. Green was not angry with Red, no. He was not angry with Red, but with himself instead. _He_ had been the sole cause of Red's misery all these years and for that Green knew he'd never forgive himself.

Turning back to the boy with an agonized look of apology in his wet eyes, Green's gaze met that of his friend's who had recently stopped shaking and turned to look at him, evaluating the reaction. Green couldn't help but smile then. Shaking his head and laughing softly at the stupidity of his actions, the spiky haired brunette untied his scarf and wrapped it securely around Red's neck pulling the raven haired boy closer so that their noses were almost touching.

"You're an idiot; you know that right?" Green scoffed quietly. "Now you're coming with me, off this damn mountain, whether you like it or not."

_Fin. _

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o.o My first BETA. 8D Yay! Credit for basic storyline goes to Kaori Kuni whose first version was amazing! Remember to review and leave me/us feedback. ^^


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